Plant to convert plastic waste into bio-diesel will soon be operational: Harsh Vardhan
Union Environment Minister Harsh Vardhan, addressing the International E-Waste Day event organised by the International Finance Corporation, informed that a plant to convert plastic waste into bio-diesel will soon be operational at the Indian Institute of Petroleum (IIP) in Dehradun.
He emphasised on the urgent need to ensure better management of e-waste. Notwithstanding the fact that the government is committed to dealing with e-waste, the things aren’t moving as expected on the ground.
According to a government official, the plant will produce the highest quality of biofuel which could be used in any diesel vehicle. Over 800 litres of biofuel can be generated from one tonne of plastic waste in the plant. The researchers in IIP say that with the help of suitable catalysts plastic can be converted into gasoline, diesel or aromatics.
The researchers also mentioned that with the huge pile of plastic waste generated in the country the process will become economical citing the current prices of fuel.
The plant has the capacity to convert one tonne of plastic waste into 800 litres biofuel which will be of the highest quality and it can be used in any diesel automotive vehicle https://t.co/V1h4dyGKKM
— moneycontrol (@moneycontrolcom) October 13, 2018
India generates over two million tonnes of e-waste annually and is among the top five generators of e-waste in the world, according to an ASSOCHAM study. Only about 5% of e-waste is recycled in India. The contribution of India to worldwide e-waste generation is 4.47 per cent. Mr Harsh Vardhan noted, “We are neck deep into the problem and we have already have got the rules amended in 2018 based on discussions with the industry and other stake holders “. The minister added that the government have also revised targets for the same.
“On behalf of our Prime Minister, we can promise to the whole world that like many other fields in environment… we will certainly try to do our best on e-waste front.”
Emphasizing on the need of involvement of people, he said that we need to build a social movement around the ‘Green Good Deeds’, an initiative of Environment ministry. The minister said that a change in behaviour is the need of the hour.
